| Abstract Scope |
As an educator, I strive to create a supportive learning environment that fosters students’ mastery of course topics. However, with traditional exams and weighted grading schemes, I observed that students were often more focused on the “curve” and the relative ability of their peers, rather than their knowledge of course topics. In 2022, I introduced a new course policy that allowed students to retake up to two of the six midterm exam questions, with a format that mimicked the original exam. The retakes were held in person, and the questions were of a similar type and difficulty (e.g., creating a phase diagram from free energy curves), but not identical to the original problem. Students’ reactions were collected via interviews. While some comments focused on the opportunity to improve grades, much of the feedback centered on how the retakes reduced test anxiety and enhanced their mastery of course content. |